The Chrysler 300 will be discontinued after the 2023 model year, but before the sleek luxury sedan races off into the sunset, the company is offering one final high performance model. The 2023 Chrysler 300C doesn’t have as distinct of a name as did the 2014 Chrysler 300 SRT8, but the 2023 300C packs more power and more high performance components – making this the best-performing Chrysler brand vehicle ever.
“We’re celebrating the Chrysler 300 and it’s iconic legacy in the automotive world,” said Chris Feuell, Chrysler brand chief executive officer. “The Chrysler 300 changed the automotive world in so many ways, and we will carry that spirit of ingenuity forward as we transform Chrysler with a fully electrified future and breakthrough customer experiences.”
This doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as the Chrysler social media channels have been providing pretty clear hints as to what was coming from 2023, but today, it is official – the 392-powered 300C is back and it is better than ever.
2023 300C Performance Features
The key feature of the 2023 Chrysler 300C is the 6.4-liter, 392-cubic inch Hemi, which provides 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. That power is channeled to the rear wheels by means of a quick-shifting ZF 8-speed automatic transmission and 3.09 gears, allowing this new 300C to sprint from a stop to 60 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds while covering a standing quarter mile in 12.4 seconds. This Chrysler also has a top speed of 160 miles per hour, while the active exhaust system creates varying levels of exhaust sound volume depending on the drive mode chosen.
While the engine and transmission make the 2023 300C the quickest and most powerful to wear the name, this package is more than just a straight-line machine.
Bilstein adaptive dampers lead to incredible cornering abilities and when the new 300C gets into a turn a bit too quick, Brembo 4-piston front calipers help slow the car in a hurry, with help from the all-season performance tires on 20×9-inch wheels.
Classic Design Cues
The 2023 Chrysler 300C has a fairly understated performance design around the outside with black chrome accents on the grille and lower fascia, black headlight bezels, darkened taillights and black circular exhaust tips. A new 300C badge, showcasing the red-white-blue design of the 1950s emblem, is found on the grille and trunk lid and the package is available in three exterior colors – Gloss Black, Velvet Red and Bright White.
On the inside, the 2023 Chrysler 300C comes with heated-and-ventilated black Laguna leather seats with the new 300C logo embossed on the upper seatback and silver accent stitching on the bolsters. That black leather with silver stitching is echoed throughout the cabin, creating a very upscale feel when combined with the carbon fiber and Piano Black trim across the dash, doors and center console.
The 8.4-inch UConnect touchscreen infotainment system is standard, as are the 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a heated steering wheel and a suite of high tech safety features, including advanced brake assist, Lane Departure Warning Plus and Full Speed Collision Warning.
The company plans to build just 2,000 examples of the 2023 Chrysler 300C for the United States with another 200 being built for Canada. The 2023 300C will have an MSRP in the U.S. of $55,000 and buyers can reserve them online now, simply by going to this website (click here), selecting an exterior color, picking a delivery dealership and making a deposit – all of which should help eliminate any additional dealer markups.
This may seem a bit strange, but these “last hoorah” cars are truly making me look forward to seeing what’s coming next. In a way, it’s becoming just “more of the same” of what we’ve had before, and honestly a bit of what they could have been doing all along. Honestly, I want to see something new and different. I’d be more than happy with a STLA-large Guilia based Dart GTS sedan that looks like the last dart, just evolved and a little bit larger with the Hurricane-4 & Hurricane-6 powertrains and GLH packages from direct connection. Bring out a Dart GLH Demon package from Direct Connection (since the original demon was a Dart in the first place and only have a 340ci small block V8 anyway). Since Dodge is using AMC names anyway, If we have the Hornet, and if they could go with my Dart idea on the SLTA LArge platform, why not have a Dodge Javelin as a 3-door STLA Medium hatchback performance coupe? Give that vehicle all of the Hornet powertrains just in a hatchback car form. Even if the engine is transverse, a rear-biased AWD system would fix any performance issues the car would have. Bring the Viper back with a hybrid version of the 3.0L Hurricane HO pushing over 600hp along with a few electric versions. Bring back the Dakota on the STLA large platform and have it as the stable-mate to the new Durango. Letting go of the V8 muscle cars is fine but make sure we have things to replace them. Again, just my thoughts but seriously it would make more sense, to me.
At this point the car that defined modern day Chrysler is dead and all that is left is a minivan. Chrysler is dead, and no electric car is going to change that. Let Chrysler die in dignity and change the name of the Chrysler Pacifica to Ram Voyager. Don’t waste money on the Airflow, just use the money to make a Jeep Cherokee replacement. Dodge should die with their dignity too. The Durango has been replaced by the Cherokee L, and the Charger and Challenger can’t have a V8 anymore so what’s the point?
I wouldn’t say the brand needs to die completely. Life is about change. the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Ram brands have been brands that have been trend setters and game changers for a long time. The second muscle car era lasted way longer than the first and produced some amazing vehicles and yeah, for a moment it may go dormant again. but luxury and performance don’t need to die just because there are no more V8s. I do agree the names such as Charger, Challenger and 300 should be laid to rest with their dignity still in tact. The problem at times is that brands rely so heavily on their legends that they pigeonhole themselves into certain niches they can’t get out of. While the 300 that brought about the LX cars is leaving, There is so much more to the brand than just that one vehicle name and alot more than just the Hemi V8. Even in just the US there was the Slant-6 and the famous Inline-6 engine in the Jeeps, not to mention the Hemi-6 engines of Australia. The thing is, now that the muscle cars are leaving it’s time to put a focus on both the “lesser” muscle cars and the other performance cars the brand has as well as some of the other vehicles. Being that it was actual the Dodge brand that gave birth to the minivan with the 1984 Caravan, 2024 would be a hell of a year to give rebirth to a Grand Caravan and usher in a complete reinvention of the minivan and let it loose the stodgy “soccer mom” image. In the mid and late ’70’s, vans were a big part of Dodge’s “Adult Toys” group of vehicles. While it would basically spell the end of the Durango, an STLA Large platform Grand Caravan that has more of an low riding SUV appearance with sliding doors and utility room on a RWD based AWD platform with inline-6 powertrain would be actually kinda cool. I still strongly feel the rebirth of an STLA large platform Dart with the inline-4 and inline-6 powertrains on the RWD layouts would definitely be a great replacement for the Charger. It would also give room for an STLA frame Ramcharger SUV and a STLA-large Dodge Dakota pickup truck. With those vehicles plus the Hornet, that expands the Dodge lineup and gives everything performance way more utility. Moving too Jeep, they already have the Wagoneer family, Grand Cherokee family, and the Wrangler/Gladiator family of vehicles. Personally, I would have called the new Recon the new Jeep Cherokee, giving it a gas and electric variant and expanded the Cherokee family with an modern version of the SJ Cherokee Chief. As far as the Chrysler brand itself, to me, this is where the true electrification focus should be. Chrysler could easily be the breadwinner of American electric luxury and performance. It would be the simplest marketing move ever to name the next gen car the 300E and continue on with the Letter cars. a high performance Telsa plaid beating 300R and a a Chrysler 300D (D-standing for Detroit). It is time for another Chrysler SUV and since the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the Vehicle that is lining itself up with the Cadillac Escalade and Yukon Denali, I’d say it’s time that America has a lineup of SUVs that will take the fight to SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls Royce Cullinan along with performance SUVs like the Audi RS Q8, the Lamborghini URUS, the BMW X6M and the Porsche Cayenne. This is a luxury brand and yes it should be competing with the Luxury crossover and luxury performance crossover market. The Chrysler Airflow would be perfect to compete in the segment of the smaller performance oriented crossover market while a Chrysler Aspen would work to serve as the American version of the Bentayga or Cullinan and if they’re all electric, so be it! Performance and luxury are still Performance and luxury without V8 engines. Yes it’s time to lay certain names to rest and revive other names. Oh yeah and it’s time to bring back the Viper with both a hybrid version of the Hurricane-6 H.O and a few LOUD all electric versions. It’s time to bring back Ram 1500 Daytona, Rumble Bee & SS/T pickup trucks. Dodge is already bringing back GLH from the late 80’s and honestly SRT really started with 4-cylinder cars so if the Hornet is coming back as a performance sport compact, why not bring back an STLA medium hatchback Neon? At this point it, the lineup I just mentioned would seriously allow the brand to better compete in different market with both ICE and BEV offerings.
As “The Chairman” (Lido) said back in the day, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” Chrysler is only dead if STLA lets it die.
Anyone else notice how much the new lincoln SUVs stole from the chrysler/300 front design and dodge rear tailight designs in recent years? Maybe it’s just me.
you weren’t the only one to notice.